The Hibernian Runaway
by Iamimaginative22
Summary: Halt is about to retire, but Crowley has one more mission for him and Will. A murderer has appeared from Halt's home country, and Queen Josephine of Clonmel has a big reward for who ever captures her alive. But it's too big of a reward for a murderer, and Halt decides to hear what the girl has to say. Read to find out what Halt does. Please leave reviews!
1. Chapter 1

A lone figure wearing a gray cloak rode up to the tavern's door on a white horse and dismounted. The figure pushed open the door and found a seat at the bar. After ordering a mug of coffee, the figure looked for a specific person that he had been speaking with for the past few days. Seeing the captain, the figure got up and took a seat at his table.

"What can I do for you?" the captain asked gruffly, sipping his ale.

"I've a favor to ask you. Can you get me out of Hibernia tonight instead of tomorrow?" the figure silently uttered.

"Sure, come by tonight before eleven thirty and we'll make for Araluen." The captain shrugged.

The figure finished the coffee and walked outside, where he mounted the white horse and rode off.

* * *

The next day, as the captain was coiling rope, he heard hoof beats. He looked up to see the person from the tavern riding the same white horse towards the port in a full gallop.

"Hey, what's going on?" the Captain asked.

"We got to go, now." The rider said.

"We still have half an hour of preparations to go." The Captain said, shrugging.

"The king's guards are after me, but I'll pay you more if you can get me out of here." The figure pleaded.

"Fine, hide the horse in the hold and you get under the nets. Quickly now, I can hear them coming." The captain ordered.

Even as he said so, the sound of hoof beats seemed to fill the air around them. The figure led the white horse up the gangplank and into the hold of the ship. Almost as soon as the figure went into the hold, he came silently out and ran low over to the pile of fishing nets. He slipped into them, soon indistinguishable from the dizzying mess of nets. No sooner than the fugitive hid himself, four half-armored riders, carrying cavalry swords and bows rode around the bend.

When they saw the crew readying their boat for departure, the rider stopped. The lead one walked up to the captain and looked him up and down.

"Did a person ride by on a white horse?" the leader of the horsemen asked.

"The rider in the gray cloak?" The captain asked.

"Yes, you blundering fool! Now where did he go?" the horseman screamed at him.

"I saw him ride his horse into the woods." The captain answered.

"Thank you." The horseman replied stiffly, wheeling his horse into the forest that bordered the road.

The captain heaved a sigh when the guards left. It was obvious that the man in the nets was a criminal or a runaway. The captain decided to affront the man and ask him his purpose for leaving Hibernia, but when they were on the way to Araluen. An hour later, the ship left the safety of the harbor.

In a day's time the ship reached the Selsey harbor. As the crew unloaded some of the goods that it had brought with them, the mysterious rider walked his horse down the gangplank. The white horse seemed strangely out of place with the commoner walking it away from the ship. He approached the captain dropped some coins into the palm of his hand.

"There's extra in there for you to keep your mouth shut." He whispered, in a strangely feminine voice.

With that, the stranger mounted the white horse, and rode away from the port. The Captain shrugged, not caring who or what he was doing in Selsey, only about the amount of gold he was paid. Only when the rider disappeared did the captain realize that he forgot to ask the rider what he was wanted for in Hibernia.

"Oh, well, it wasn't my business anyway." The Captain said to himself.

The captain joined his crew, unloading the goods from the hold of the ship, quickly forgetting about the rider and his white horse.

* * *

Behind a building the rider pulled her cowl of her gray cloak off her head. She took the circlet of silver off her head and placed it in her saddle bags.

The rider patted her horse's neck and said, "Come on Blizzard, let's go find an inn."


	2. Chapter 2

Lilly was walking towards the farm house after a long day of work. She wiped her sweaty brow and sighed, thinking of the food that would be waiting for her there. She quickened her pace and came in through the door and sat down at the table. The head farmer's wife, Meredith, set a plate of chicken in the middle of the table with a loaf of bread. As the other men of the farm filed in through the door and took their place at the table. The wife looked worried when her son didn't take his place at the table.

She walked over to her husband, Joseph, and asked, "Have you seen Jonathan?"

"Not since I sent him to go sell the extra two wool bundles that we had in the barn." He answered.

"And when was that?" she asked.

"About three, four hours ago." He answered.

"He must've run into problems selling the wool to Christopher. He holds onto a penny so tight that it'll be easier robbing a knight for money." She said, trying to assure herself.

Lilly finished her chicken and bread quickly, so she could get a longer period of sleep. She was about to walk outside, but Meredith pulled her aside.

"Can you please go see if Jonathan is okay and in Wensley still bartering with Christopher? I'll feel better to know that he is alive and not dead in some ditch, attacked by the bandits." She asked.

Lilly nodded. Christopher, Barret's son had no qualities of a good bargainer and usually took hours to get a price. By then it would be late at night and the seller would be tired and more subject to trickery or attack. The bandits terrorizing small farms and small bands of travelers were looking for her, but still robbed and beat their victims. Lilly hoped that the bandits didn't raid the farm she was staying at, because she would have to kill her fellow countrymen and reveal herself to the farmers, if she survived the attack.

"Can take horse?" she asked, purposefully speaking in broken strands.

"Sure, if you think it will get you to Wensley quicker." She replied.

Lilly nodded and walked to the barn where the work horses were kept. She saddled one of the less stocky work horses, sadly missing her own horse Blizzard, who was with a better family for the moment. When she first arrived in Araluen, she had stayed the night in an inn and made her way down the coast to the Redmont fief. There she gave Blizzard to a man who agreed to look after the horse until she needed him again. At first he disagreed to return the horse until he saw the circlet of silver on her head which marked her as a member of a royal family.

Mounting the horse she rode him at a steady trot towards Wensley. The town was only two kilometers from Castle Redmont, close enough to be evacuated before an attack, but far enough to provide more crops with the abundance of farmland. She arrived at the gate and dismounted, walking the work horse behind her. She walked to the inn, tied the horse's reins to the post outside and walked in.

She went straight to the bar tender and asked, "Jonathan here?"

"Yeah. He came through here 'bout an hour ago looking for Christopher. Then they came in, bought drinks and began to barter. Christopher left about and hour ago, leaving Jonathan with a tankard of ale. He's sitting over there in the corner." Gary answered, pointing with the rag he was wiping the bar top with.

Lilly turned to where Gary had pointed and saw Jonathan sitting with two girls talking and making gestures. Lilly approached the table and could hear the slurring of Jonathan's words as he spoke.

"Yeah. Me pops is the best farmer in the business. One day he'll give me all 'e has and I'll be able to marry me to one of you fine ladies." He said, the girls giggling as he talked.

"_Oh great job Jonathan. I come here to get you and find you drunker than a sailor_." Lilly though.

As she stopped at the table, the girls stopped giggling and looked at her. Jonathan said something else, but noticed the girls had stopped reacting to what he said.

"What'd we 'ave 'ere? He said unknowingly taking a sip from his empty tankard.

"Jonathan, you come home now." Lilly said, hoping that he wasn't drunk enough to start a fight when she had to start dragging him out of the tavern.

"I aint lisnin to a bossy lassie like yourself. I got me a nice couple of girls right here." He slurred, gesturing to the girls.

But now the girls knew that the situation had gotten serious and didn't laugh at the drunk's words. They got up and walked out of the tavern, expecting trouble.

"Aww, Look what you've done know. You've made me dates get up and walk away." Jonathan said trying to get up.

Lilly caught him before he could fall face first into the ground. Jonathan's face grew red as he leaned on Lilly.

"What do you think you're doing?" Jonathan shouted as he regained his balance.

"Jonathan, come home now." Lilly pleaded, looking at the bartender for help.

"You know I don't 'ave to listen to you, you little farm girl. I'm gonna sit here and enjoy as many drinks as I can hold." He shouted.

It got dead silent in the tavern. Everyone became interested in either their tankards or in the scene that was unfolding in the corner of the room. Silently and unknown to Jonathan, Gary moved behind Jonathan with a bung starter in his hand, the one used to open the big tankards.

Jonathan began to rant, "You alls are wimps, listening to women like children!" shouting to everyone who was in the tavern.

Gary came up behind Jonathan and brought the small mallet down on his head, just behind the right ear. There wasn't a lot of force behind the blow, but in Jonathan's drunken state, it was enough to knock him unconscious. Lilly caught Jonathan again and nodded her thanks to Gary.

"Need help getting home." She said plainly.

"Nial, get over here and help her get the boy on the horse, and then take her home." Gary yelled to one of his sons who helped out in the tavern.

A small boy of about sixteen stepped out from behind the bar. He had been cleaning the tankards and had smudges of dirt on his face. He was small in stature and had a kind face. His blonde hair brought out the blue in his eyes and his slightly awkward grin, made him look likable.

"H-h-hello." Nial said sheepishly, looking at the floor.

"Hello." Lilly said. "We go now."

Nial took one of Jonathan's arms and helped Lilly drag the unconscious body out of the tavern. They made their way over to the stocky work horse and threw Jonathan over the saddle. Nial ran around to the back of the tavern and came back with a mule. He mounted it and followed Lilly to the farm. They had been riding for a couple of minutes when the silence became unbearably awkward.

"You good at job?" Lilly asked, hoping to strike up a conversation with the uncomfortable boy.

"Yeah, pretty much. I clean the tankards and sometimes do refills. I just want to get out of there and do more than watch people get drunk." He said.

They continued to talk throughout the ride, their mounts keeping a steady plodding pace. About half way to the farm, Jonathan woke up, this time sober. He groaned and they pulled their mounts to a stop. Quickly Jonathan slid off the horse and ran to the side of the road and threw up. After a while the sounds of retching stopped and he just sat there, breathing heavily. Lilly slid out of the saddle, motioning for Nial to the same.

Slowly, Lilly approached Jonathan.

"You okay?" she asked.

"No. How many drinks did Christopher give me?" He asked.

"About five." Nial answered for her, "After you started your fifth he left with the two bags of wool you had along with you."

Jonathan groaned, "I was supposed to sell them for money not drinks."

"Know, but can tell Baron. Might get money back." Lilly suggested, trying to cheer Jonathan up.

"Yeah I guess. I'll tell dad the truth and see if I can see the Baron about this problem." Jonathan said unhappily.

"See Baron tomorrow. Go home first."Lilly said, hoping to get home before his mother started to worry.

"Yeah, you guys should get going. I'll follow you home." Nial said.

Lilly swung up into the saddle and Nial helped Jonathan up behind her. Once Nial mounted his mule, Lilly tried to go at a fast trot. After a few steps, Jonathan groaned and almost threw up over the side of horse.

"Can we go a little slower? All this lurching and swaying is making me nauseous." Jonathan complained.

Lilly and Nial slowed their mounts to a walk. She was fuming inside because it would be dark in an hour and at their pace would get them to the farm a little after sundown. By then it would be too late for Nial to go home alone, so he would have to stay the night. Hopefully, Joseph wouldn't be so mad with the loss of his profit, that he wouldn't turn Nial away.

The horse and the mule continued to plod on, keeping a steady pace. Jonathan eventually nodded off and began to snore. The two animals and the three humans continued to walk to the farm after sun down. They finally reached the farm house well into the evening. They woke up Jonathan and dismounted. Lilly and Nial supported Jonathan and led him to the farm house. Meredith and Joseph came out and helped them get Jonathan into a bed. He wasn't drunk, but still delirious. Meredith had tears in her eyes as she saw her son in his state. Joseph said that Nial could stay the night and leave the next morning.

Lilly and Nial walked out to their mounts and led them to the barn. As Lilly was replacing the saddle on the stable wall, Nial was rubbing the mule down with the hay that carpeted the floor. She filled a bucket of water and patted the horse as it drank. Lilly looked up when she heard Nial curse. Nial rummaged in the saddle bags in his lap feverishly. He finally found what he was looking for and stuck it in a pocket inside of his jacket.

"Is important?" Lilly asked.

"Yeah, it's important for me." Nial answered.

Lilly nodded and started to rub the horse down with a handful of hay, purposefully letting the silence stretch longer than it needed.

"Can you keep a secret?" Nial asked.

Lilly nodded, thinking of the major secret she was hiding from everyone in Araluen.

"I once took my grandmother's necklace out of the box my mother hid it in. It was a fine piece, so my mother punished me when she found out. Ever since then I became fascinated with the idea of working with jewelry. I began to sketch ideas for pieces. This notebook holds all of my sketches." Nial said showing a small leather-bound book, wrapped in a thick piece of vellum.

"Good dream." Lilly said. "Can you keep secret?"

"I guess." Nial said.

"Can't tell anyone." Lilly warned.

"I swear that I won't tell anyone your secret, if it means that much to you." Nial answered.

Lilly took a deep breath. What she was attempting was ludicrous. If the wrong people heard what she was about to tell Nial, it would surely mean her death.

"My name is Lilly O'Carrick. I'm Princess of Clonmel, next in line for the throne after my father, King Sean of Clonmel." Lilly said, not bothering to break up her words.

Nial stared open mouthed at Lilly. "You're the Princess? Why are you in Araluen, if you are Hibernian?" He asked.

"My mother died when I was five, so my father remarried. My step-mother had a son, but it isn't King Sean's son. He doesn't know that, but the boy's father, Gregory McKenel, does." Lilly continued.

"Does that affect the boy's claim to the throne?" Nial asked.

"Queen Josephine could be executed for cheating on the King and since the boy doesn't have any relation to the King, he can't ever rule Clonmel. I overheard Josephine talking to Gregory on how she planned to take 'the King of fools' off the throne and have her son rule. I was discovered by a guard and that's when I realized that some of the guards were in on the secret. I realized that I needed to get out of Hibernia and my life, and my father's, depended on it. I tried to bring him with me, but at the stables we were confronted and my father held them off and told me to run." Lilly explained.

"Wow, but why didn't you go straight to King Duncan?" Nial asked.

"Believe me I tried, but my step-mother sent the guards after me. She told King Duncan that I was a mere maid that killed a guard. He agreed to have an eye out for me, so I can't approach him without getting thrown into a dungeon." Lilly answered miserably.

"Do you have a signet ring?" Nial asked, "That should grant you immediate entry to King Duncan's chambers."

"I have a signet ring I keep on my necklace, but my step-mother could say that I stole it. I would have to prove that I am indeed the Princess. That would require my father, or a test designed by the Chamberlain." Lilly replied.

"That stinks." Nial said, thinking. "You could go to Baron Arald and show him the signet necklace. You could get a hearing, and maybe house arrest, just enough time to prove your innocence."

"Yeah, I could do that; get the Baron on my side." Lilly said, contemplating Nial's idea.

"I guess we could go to the Baron in the morning. I'll go and support your claim." Nial said.

Lilly nodded and said, "Fine let's go and get some sleep."


	3. Chapter 3

They left the barn and walked to the farm house. Joseph had set out a cot for Nial, with some extra blankets. Lilly climbed onto her own cot and listened to the breathing of the other people in the room. Soon, she drifted off into sleep, hoping that the next day would go easier than what Nial expected.

* * *

_"Do you know that Connor is really your son?"_

_"What?!"_

_"Yes, you blundering fool. He's your son. If the fool of a King realizes that he's not his son, he'll divorce me and my plans will be put to an end!"_

_"But you said to Sean…"_

_"I know what I said to Sean. I couldn't let him know that you and I are having an affair! It would be the end of us both!"_

_"What does it matter? He'll never find out. You have a fool on the throne, so it will be easy to over throw him."_

_"Yes, but his daughter will prove to be a problem. She's quick-witted and smart. I'll soon have my men capture King Sean and execute… What was that?"_

_"I don't know; it came from behind the bookcase."_

_"Hey you what are you doing there?"_

_"NO! It's the Princess. Guards get her, get her!"_

* * *

Lilly woke up to a light touch on her arm. Her reflexes told her to react and she shot her arm into where she knew the person's stomach was. After she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, she saw that she had accidentally attacked Nial.

"Sorry." She said quickly.

"It's okay." Nial groaned, "But you sure pack a punch."

"Reflexes. Been on run for while." Lilly replied in her broken tone.

"Yeah, I can see that. Anyway, its dawn. Let's go get breakfast and help Jonathan get his money back." Nial said.

Lilly nodded and sat up on the cot. She stretched and followed Nial out the door and into the kitchen. In the middle of the table was a platter with eggs, bacon, toast, and potatoes. The farmhands filled their plates and sat down to eat the hearty breakfast. Nial and Lilly finished quickly and began to talk with Jonathan who was sitting next to Lilly.

"We were planning on going to Baron Arald." Nial told Jonathan, "To get your money back."

"You to come." Lilly added.

"Fine. I can't wait to get Christopher in trouble with the Baron, so his father would stop sending him out to deal wool." Jonathan said.

"Once ask your father, we go." Lilly said.

Jonathan nodded, shoveling a forkful of potatoes and bacon into his mouth. He chewed and swallowed and began to tap his fork on his plate.

"I don't want to slow the harvest of the crops. The Harvest Festival is after next week." Jonathan said.

"But you were cheated. You could get your money back from Baron Arald if you go and state your claim." Nial protested.

"Those three silvers don't matter with what we'll sell this harvest." Jonathan replied.

"I go and tell Baron then." Lilly said.

She got up hastily and walked over to Joseph.

"Ask permission to see Baron about wool problem." Lilly told Joseph.

"Okay if it means we'll get our money back." Joseph agreed.

"Can take horse again?" Lilly asked.

"You can take the smallest one, but you'd better be quick about it. We'll need all our horses to haul the harvest." He said sternly.

"Thank you." Lilly said and hurried out the door, followed closely by Nial.

The couple almost ran to the barn to get the horse and mule. Quickly they put on the saddles and bridles. Once they were finished, they mounted and rode out of the barn towards Wensley.

The two riders made it to Wensley within a half hour. Before they went to Castle Redmont, they checked in with Nial's parents. Gary treated them to some coffee and they sat down at the bar.

"We're going to Baron Arald about Christopher. He purposefully got Jonathan drunk so he could cheat him out of his wool. "Nial explained to Gary.

"Good, good. He deserves to be punished. All he does is bring trouble to my tavern." Gary said.

"He bring trouble everywhere." Lilly reminded him.

"We're going to go once we finish this marvelous coffee." Nial said.

Gary left to wait on other customers. Nial took out a charcoal stylus out of a pocket in his jacket and began to sketch in his notebook. Lilly looked over his shoulder at a brooch that began to form on the page. When Nial finished, she smiled at him and nodded towards the notebook.

"Good." She said pointing at the brooch.

"Thanks." Nial replied.

He looked at the drawing and tore it out of the notebook. He folded the paper and handed to Lilly.

"This is for you." Nial said.

Lilly took the vellum piece and stuck it into a pocket in her trousers. She nodded her thanks to him and looked up see who entered the tavern. Nial looked over his shoulder when he noticed Lilly's distraction.

A figure in the Ranger's signature mottled green and gray cloak had stepped into the tavern. He unslung his longbow from his shoulder and set it aside the bar as he sat down on one of the stools. Gary hurried over with a mug of coffee. The Ranger slid some coins to pay for the drink and everyone relaxed in their seats.

Everyone had a fear of Rangers. It was believed that they practiced the dark arts. They also had an uncanny accuracy and speed with their bows and knives. People went out of their way to avoid Rangers because they believed some evil would befall them if they did something wrong.

"Why Ranger here?" Lilly whispered.

"He likes my father's coffee a lot. He says it's the best in the town." Nial answered, bringing his mug up to his lips.

"I got be careful." Lilly whispered.

"Yeah." Nial replied, "But let's get going to the Baron."

Nial and Lilly left their empty mugs of coffee on the bar top. Lilly felt someone looking at her as she was leaving. She looked over her shoulder before she went out the door and met the dark eyes of the Ranger. She quickly walked to her horse and rode with Nial towards Castle Redmont.

* * *

Since it was Thursday, the Baron opened his court to help settle matters between people. There was a line of people waiting outside of the keep of the castle.

"It'll be a longer wait than usual, but we should get back before midday." Nial said.

"If all problems short." Lilly pointed out.

"True." Nial replied.

Lilly offered to put their rides into the stable, so she left Nial in line at the keep. She rubbed the horse and mule down, but the stable boy offered to feed and water them, so she started to walk out of the stable.

She pulled out her necklace and looked at her signet ring that was hanging on it. Lilly raised it to the light to see the intricate lily carved on the face. Someone came into her line of sight and she quickly dropped the chain. She bumped into the person and she looked up to see the senior Ranger of the Redmont fief.

"Sorry." Lilly mumbled, turning to walk out the door.

"Come back here for a moment." The Ranger told her.

Now nervous Lilly turned around and approached the Ranger with her head down.

"What you want?" Lilly asked.

"Can you speak clearly?" he asked.

"No. Born in Hibernia. Never learn speak proper." Lilly answered.

"Well you can't go in and speak to the Baron like that." He said.

"How you know?" Lilly asked stunned.

"I saw you get into line for an audience with the Baron." He said.

"Anyway, what you want?" Lilly asked, knowing that he didn't answer her first question.

"Where did you get that ring?" he asked.

"Found it in farm field. Mine now." Lilly replied, her heart racing.

"Okay. You'd better hurry up and get in line. It's almost your turn." He replied.

Lilly nodded, turned, and walked outside. Unknowingly to her, the Ranger waited a couple of minutes and followed her to the castle keep.


	4. Chapter 4

"So you say that Barret's son Christopher made Jonathan drunk, so that he could take the bags of wool without having to pay for them?" Baron Arald asked.

"Yes, my lord." Nial replied.

"Well, he did pay for the drinks." Baron Arald ventured.

"Not fair. Wool worth more than drinks." Lilly protested.

"I didn't say that there was no wrong doing here, but unless you can prove that Christopher forced Jonathan to drink, I can't interfere without having to try Jonathan for being drunk." Baron Arald replied.

Lilly huffed in indignation and asked, "If prove that Christopher forced Jonathan drink, will arrest Christopher?"

"There is a probability." The Baron replied, "But mind you, you can't go and frame Christopher. Then I'll have to arrest you."

Lilly looked at the Baron like he was crazy.

"Trust me, my lord; I'm sure she wouldn't do that." Nial put in.

Nial grabbed Lilly's arm and led her out of the room and down the stairs.

* * *

Baron Arald looked after the couple in disappointment. Everyone took his jokes too seriously. There was movement from behind the Baron's desk. Baron Arald turned to face Halt as he stepped out of the shadows.

"I'm beginning to think that the farm girl isn't a farm girl." Halt said.

"Why?" Baron Arald replied. "She seems like any ordinary farm girl that can't speak properly."

"I saw her in the stables a few minutes ago. She had an expensive ring on a necklace that she claimed to have found in a field." Halt replied.

"So you're saying that she stole this ring, from a rich family?" Baron Arald asked.

"Maybe." Halt replied and walked after the couple.

* * *

Halt saw the girl and the boy walk into the stables. He ghosted after them, putting enough distance between him and them, so they wouldn't think that they were being followed. He got inside the stables quick enough to overhear their conversation.

"Nial go on ahead. I need to take care of a couple things before I head out." The girl said as she was saddling up a broad work horse.

"Okay. Come by if you need my help again." Nial replied.

The boy named Nial mounted a mule and rode it out the door and towards the village. The girl mounted the work horse and rode it after the boy a few minutes later. Halt saddled up his own horse, Abelard, and rode after her.

The girl rode to the village and stopped at the silversmith's shop. She stayed there for a while before exiting with a disappointed look on her face. She mounted the work horse again and rode back towards town. Halt decided he went far enough and turned towards the woods.

Halt followed the familiar path to Will's cabin. The cabin was once Halt's, but since he got married, he lived with Lady Pauline in the castle suites. Abelard nickered a greeting to the similar-looking shaggy pony, named Tug. Halt dismounted and gestured for Abelard to go with Tug.

Halt knocked on the door and went inside. Will was inside drinking a cup of coffee and shifting through a pile of papers.

"Hello, Will." Halt said walking through the doorway.

"Coffee's on." Will said strangely.

Halt got a mug and poured the aromatic beverage into it. He took a seat across from Will and started to drink.

"What's that?" Halt asked, his voice echoing in the mug.

"A briefing from Crowley. King Duncan has agreed to help Queen Josephine of Clonmel find a murderer and Crowley has a reason to believe that she is in the Redmont fief." Will replied, still focused on the paper.

"Is something wrong?" Halt asked. "You seem out of it today."

"It's nothing." Will replied in a tone that declared the matter closed.

Will pushed the paper across the table to Halt and picked up another sheet and began to read. Halt picked up the briefing and started to read it.

* * *

_All Rangers in the kingdom are required to keep an eye out for a Lilly McMatthew._

_Lilly McMatthew is wanted for the murder of a castle guard and an attempted murder of Sean O'Carrick of Clonmel. She has red hair and dark eyes. She is suspected extremely dangerous, excelling in swordsmanship and archery. Capture with caution, but do not kill her._

_ Signed, Crowley Ranger Corps Commandant_

* * *

"Her last name isn't Hibernian." Halt said.

"How so? It says that she is Hibernian." Will replied.

"The name isn't Hibernian. It doesn't seem right. I feel like…" Halt began.

"Like you've seen this person before and recently." Will finished. "I know, but I don't know where."

"I was going to say that someone was purposefully using a different name for this person, but then again, the maid might not be giving her real name.

"Anyway, she must be here. You haven't been out and about lately, so she has to be near Redmont." Will said.

"This just doesn't seem right. The last I heard is that there was no Queen Josephine of Clonmel, just a Queen Carolynn of Clonmel." Halt mutters under his breath.

"Oh you didn't hear?" Will asks.

"Hear what?" Halt replied.

"Queen Carolynn died a few months ago, in childbirth. The boy died as well." Will said. "And Sean has remarried and has a son."

"That would explain a lot. Why didn't I get a letter?" Halt asked.

"I don't know. Maybe Sean didn't send you one because you're supposed to be dead." Will answered.

Halt nodded, trying to accept his former apprentice's idea. He finished the coffee and looked at the briefing. He stood and started to walk out the door.

"Where are you going?" Will asked.

"I think I know who this Lilly McMatthew is, but I need to know before we arrest her." Halt says walking to Abelard.

Halt quickly swung into the saddle and galloped off towards the castle.

* * *

In a few minutes, he was back in the room with Baron Arald.

"So you think that the farm girl is this murderer from overseas?" Arald asked.

"Yes. She wasn't very well known, so she must be relatively new to the area. She recognized me as a Ranger when a bumped into her in the stables, so she must be looking out for the officers of the law. And her words were broken up, to disguise that she was from a working position in a castle. That's why I think she is this maid that murdered a castle guard to try to assassinate King Sean." Halt explained.

"That is all circumstantial. If you find some concrete proof that she is from Hibernia, then I might think about bringing her in for questioning." Baron Arald replied.

Halt scowled at the Baron, and quickly walked out. He decided that he couldn't do anything to get the girl to talk without being apprehended by Baron Arald. Making his way to the castle suites, the girl was still in the back of his mind. He knocked once on the door and opened it. Pauline was sitting, reading a pile of papers.

"Pauline." Halt said.

"Halt." Pauline replied, a ghost of a smile touching her face.

"What are you doing?" Halt asked.

"I'm going over some of my reports. What were you up to?" Pauline replied.

"Trying to figure out the whereabouts of a certain wanted criminal." Halt replied.

"And would this criminal be a girl with copper-colored hair and dark eyes?" Pauline asked.

"Yes, how did you know?" Halt asked, dumbfounded.

"She came up while you were with Baron Arald and asked if she could take lessons on how to speak properly." Pauline replied.

"She lives on a working farm, how is she going to come out here in the middle of harvest?" Halt asked.

"She says that she was going to quit and move back to the family, in Redmont." Pauline replied.

Before Halt could reply, there was a knock on the door.

"That would be the girl now. Go and hide somewhere, so you don't scare her away." Pauline whispered.

Halt nodded and wrapped himself up in his cloak in the darkest corner of the room.

"_Trust the cloak. Trust the cloak._" Halt thought, knowing that if he was seen, he wouldn't be able to listen to what he was hoping to hear.

Pauline had opened the door, and allowed the girl to enter. The girl nodded politely to Pauline and took a seat at the small table in the middle of the room.

"Okay, I'm going to ask you a couple of questions, so I can fill this paper out." Pauline said, holding a stylus to the paper.

"What is your full name?" Pauline asked.

"Lilly McMatthew." The girl replied.

Halt had a double take. This girl fit the description of the Hibernian murderer and had the same name as the murderer. He knew that she must be taken into custody, but alive. With the girl's back to him, he reached into his pocket and brought out his strikers. He made no noise as he crept up behind the unsuspecting girl.

"Tell your husband behind me to leave me alone, or I will have no choice but to protect myself." Lilly suddenly said.

Halt stopped and looked at Pauline in surprise. No one has ever realized that a Ranger was sneaking up on them until it was too late.

"You can't hurt me, especially since you're outnumbered." Pauline steely remarked, but Halt could see some fear in her eyes.

"Get up and turn around, so I can see your face." Halt ordered.

He saw Pauline's face visibly pale and started to feel a little nervous.

Lilly got up and started to turn slowly. Halt reached into his belt for his cuffs, but realized his mistake too late. He saw the knife in the girl's hand just as it left her hand, spinning at his face. Halt raised a hand to block the knife, but the heavy hilt slammed into his head, glancing off his hand.

* * *

The Ranger fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes. Lilly heard a scream from Lady Pauline as she saw her husband fall to the ground.

"Relax. He's just unconscious." Lilly snapped at the older woman.

Lady Pauline closed her open mouth, but her fear was still evident. To reassure the woman, Lilly went over and checked the Rangers pulse. The Ranger still had a heart beat.

"Now I will let you and your husband live if you do exactly as I say." Lilly said. "Otherwise I will hunt you down and kill you."

Lady Pauline quickly took a seat at the table and tried to appear unflustered, but her eyes kept drifting down to the unconscious body of the Ranger.

"What I am to tell you now is to remain a secret from everyone." Lilly ordered.

"Why should I?" Pauline asked defiantly.

"Do you have a death wish, woman?!" Lilly almost screamed.

Lady Pauline was deeply offended by the way Lilly was talking to her, and Lilly knew it.

"Look I'm sorry. I'm irritable, on the run in Araluen when I should be in Clonmel attending to my father." Lilly apologized.

"Who's your father?" Pauline asked.

"My father is the son of this Ranger's sister." Lilly said.

Lilly picked up her knife and started to move towards the door.

"Call the guards in five minutes. I can't get caught yet." Lilly ordered, before disappearing down the hallway.

Lilly was in a full run going down the stairs. She needed to get out of the castle before everyone was searched and she was found. She made it to the stables and swung onto the work horse's bare back.

She slowed the animal to a lurching gait and went to the tavern to meet Nial.

She tied the horse's reins around the post and walked in the door. She nodded to Gary and took a seat at the bar.

"Nial will be out in a second. He's drying tankards in the back." Gary said.

Lilly nodded her thanks and began to look around the tavern. She sensed no danger from the people that occupied the tavern. Most of the people were tenants, from the rooms on the second floor, here for the harvest festival next week.

She saw Nial poke his head out of the backroom and beckon her over. She stood and walked over to him.

"Last night we had five foreigners rent rooms for two weeks. They said that they were here for the harvest festival, but I don't believe them. They all had accents and one had crossbow bolts strapped to a belt, though it was obvious he was trying to conceal it." Nial explained.

"Were their accents like mine?" Lilly asked.

"Yes, all of them had the same accent, except for the one with the crossbow bolts. His was more exotic." Nial answered.

"I think that was a bounty party. They'll kill everyone that tries to hide me, and try to take me alive. The man with the crossbow is a Genovisan, an assassin." Lilly said, in a grave voice.

"You need to leave quickly." Nial insisted.

"I know. I came to tell you that the older Ranger knows that I'm wanted in Hibernia and that I'm leaving. "Lilly said. "Now you can't tell anyone that I'm the princess. It'll mess up everything that I'm trying to do."

"Okay, but what happens if they question me?" Nial asked.

"Tell them the truth from the beginning, but carefully omit the bit about me being the Princess of Hibernia." Lilly answered, smiling.

"Where are you going?" Nial asked.

"Anywhere far from here, but I have to go and get my horse from a farmer in the fishing village, Whitemarsh. I just need to get out of here before the younger ranger gets on my trail." Lilly answered.

"Be safe." Nial said solemnly.

Lilly realized the boy had become attached to her in more than as just mere friends. She smiled and walked out to the waiting horse. She mounted it and rode towards the coast. There was a farmer who lived there who took her horse because she couldn't keep it. Lilly knew she was going to have to pay the man all the money that she had on her to get her horse back.

The sun was on Lilly's back the entire way, urging her to go faster. The horse's hooves eating up the ground as it galloped. What Lilly didn't know was that the moment she got to the coastal village, a Ranger was on his way after her.


	5. Chapter 5

Halt woke up on the floor with a throbbing pain in his head. Three faces swam into view, but were out of focus. Will, Pauline, and Alyss all relaxed when Halt frowned.

"Thank god. I thought she killed you." Pauline said with relief.

"What happened?" Halt asked.

"You had a knife thrown at your head. You're very lucky that it struck handle first." Alyss said.

Halt sat up, but almost fell down again. Will grabbed his mentor's shoulder and helped steady him.

"You probably have a major concussion." Will said. "What do you remember of today?"

"I remember doing a sweep through the forest for the bandits before coming back to the castle around three hours before midday. I ran into some girl and talked to the Baron. After that, I had a talk with you and rode back to talk to the Baron. I went to visit Pauline, but then all I remember is a knife and waking up on this floor." Halt replied. "I don't remember any details; what we were talking about at the cabin and with the Baron."

"We were talking about the murder criminal, Lilly McMatthew. You said you knew who the criminal was." Will offered.

"The girl that attacked you said her name was Lilly McMatthew. She also said something before she left, but I didn't hear her." Pauline said.

Will looked at her funny, but didn't say anything. He helped Halt to his feet and kept him up.

Halt swayed on his feet. "I think I need to lie down for now. I don't feel good."

Will and Pauline helped Halt onto the bed in the next room. Alyss ran for the Baron's office to inform him that Halt was all right.

"Will, can you go and get the medics? Alyss ran for the Baron, but the medics are what we need the most." Lady Pauline asked.

Will went off for the medics, knowing that Halt would be safe with his wife.

"Now that we're alone. I need to tell you something. The girl Lilly said that she couldn't be caught yet, like she was planning to get caught when she was done doing whatever she planned." Pauline said.

"Why didn't me this while the others were around?" Halt asked.

"The more people who don't know, the better. Lilly said she would hurt anyone who told someone without her permission." Pauline explained.

* * *

Will came upstairs with two medics. They asked Halt some questions and made sure that there were no open wounds then left.

"I'll go ask the Baron who was with Lilly when she visited his office. Then I'll find out where she is." Will said.

Halt had closed his eyes and began to snore. He looked peaceful lying on the bed.

"Just promise you'll be careful, Will. It'd be awful if something were to happen to you, just after Halt." Pauline said.

"I'll be careful and I'll make sure that this Lilly answers for what she did here." Will said, he started out of the room.

He jogged down the stone steps and almost collided with Alyss. Her blonde hair framed her face, making Will wish he could stop and kiss her.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

"I'm following the girl who attacked Halt. She deserves to answer for attacking Halt." Will said.

"Well the person she was with when she was in the Baron's office is named Nial. He works at your favorite tavern." Alyss said.

Alyss continued to walk up the steps, hand on her stomach. Will shook his head. Three months ago, Alyss started to act all strange. She never did anything active and she started to sleep in late. Alyss also kept eating more than two helpings each meal, something any girl wouldn't do.

Pushing his personal thoughts from his mind, he hurried down to the castle stables. He saddled up Tug and rode out to Wensley. He dismounted Tug outside of Gary's Tavern and walked in.

He took a seat at the bar and Gary placed a steaming cup of coffee in front of him. Before Gary could walk away, Will grabbed his arm.

"What can I do for you Ranger Will?" He asked.

"I need to speak with Nial, ask him a few questions." Will said.

He knew that Gary took good care of his sons, taking precautions to make sure that they stayed on the right side of the law. Whenever someone joked about them doing something criminal, Gary would always put them back in their place.

"What did he do?" Gary asked, his face as hard as rock.

"Nothing. I need to ask him some questions about a person he was seen with at the castle yesterday." Will said.

"Oh you mean little Miss. Lilly. She came in the other day. Now that I remember it, you were here when she was leaving." Gary said. "Why, did she do anything wrong?"

"No. I just need to talk to her about her problem with Christopher. I was hoping to talk to Nial for another side on the story." Will said, hoping to keep Gary's suspicions down.

"Nial, hurry up on those tankards. Someone needs to speak to you in private." Gary yelled.

Nial stuck his head out of the back to see who his father was talking about. Nial's eyes flashed and he waved Will into the back room.

Will couldn't be sure, but he thought he saw fear in Nial's eyes. He knew that Nial knew that Lilly was in trouble.

Nial sat at a stool by a counter full of drying tankards. He slid another stool over to Will, who sat down.

"What can I do for you?" Nial asked.

"Where did Lilly go?" Will asked.

"As far as I know she went back to her farm. Why? What did she do?" Nial said.

"You know what she did. She assaulted a senior Ranger in his home, threatened the head of the Couriers, and murdered a knight in Hibernia." Will almost yelled.

"Who are you talking about? Lilly is a farm girl, who wouldn't touch a fly." Nial said, his face betraying nothing.

"Damn it Nial. Do you know that you could be put away for helping to hide a criminal? It could be up to three years! There is a knight dead in Hibernia because of her. She's dangerous and needs to be brought in. Now you can help me or not." Will yelled.

"If you promise to get her an audience before Baron Arald before her hearing, I might think about telling you where she went." Nial said.

"What is with you? She is a murderer, and you're treating her like she's a princess. Where did she run to?" Will asked, his frustration evident in his voice.

"She went to Whitemarsh to get her horse, and then she was coming back to the farm." Nial sighed.

"Thank you." Will said.

He hurried out of the tavern, sliding two gold coins to Gary as he walked out. He remounted Tug and wheeled him to the road to Whitemarsh. The coastal town was about half an hour on horseback away. With some luck, Will would set out the moment Lilly arrived at Whitemarsh. It would be easy to find her; a farmer's work horse would be a rarity in a fishing village.

* * *

Lilly rode through Whitemarsh to the small farms above it. Each farm she passed had people pulling bushels of crops in on horses. With it so close to the Harvest Festival, everyone seemed like they were in a good mood.

She finally made it to the farm where she remembered leaving her horse Blizzard. The family that owned it was from Hibernia themselves and was named Kearney. The man Sam agreed to take the horse, but Lilly had no idea if he was still alive. Sam Kearney was a very sickly man, and his son James didn't take kindly to her proposal.

There were only five farmhands in the fields, which was small for a farm of its size. A man with a black beard walked over to her with a scowl on his face.

"Hello. My name is Lilly. I left my horse here about five months ago with Sam Kearney with the agreement that I would be able to take him back when I needed him. Can I please speak to the farmer in charge?" She said.

"You're speaking to him." The farmer said gruffly.

"Then you're James Kearney." Lilly said.

"That I am. You must be that little brat my father agreed to watch your horse for." James said.

"You shouldn't speak to a woman like that." Lilly said, trying not to let her anger get the better of her.

"You're one of the reasons why we're in debt. My father refused to sell your horse, one that would've gotten us by for another three years!" James yelled.

"I have money to pay you for the horse." Lilly said.

James' manner immediately changed, "Money, what money. You're a poor farm girl who couldn't afford to keep the horse." His eyes gleamed with greed.

"What is the amount of debt that you're in?" Lilly asked, knowing full well that she was about to be cheated.

"Thirty gold pieces." James said, his eyes still gleaming.

"I'll pay you, once I see my horse. I will also take off coins if you have mistreated him in any way." Lilly said, putting a hand on her purse.

James sighed, and disappeared into the barn. He came out a second later with a sleek white horse. He looked well groomed and fed.

Blizzard almost pulled James off of his feet, trying to get back to his master. Lilly threw thirty gold coins at James feet and swung up onto Blizzard barebacked. As James scrabbled for the coins, Lilly rode back to the town to buy cheap tack and provisions.

* * *

Will rode his horse into the fishing village of Whitemarsh. It was dirty and stank of fish, but he didn't notice. His eyes were scanning for the tavern, where he could get a cup of coffee and maybe ask some questions. Soon, Will saw a tavern called the Catfish. He dismounted Tug and pushed the door aside to enter the tavern.

Everyone looked up and saw him enter. They immediately stopped talking and shoveled food into their mouths. Will walked up to the bar and took a seat.

The tavern keeper walked up to him, "How can I help you Ranger?" He asked.

"I'll take a coffee." He said, sliding three copper pieces onto the bar top.

The tavern keeper got a fresh pot of coffee going over the fire. He went back to Will to collect the three pieces.

"No only one for the coffee. I'll give the other two for anyone who has seen a girl riding a farmer's work horse. And I'll throw in another, if you know where she is going." Will announced.

Immediately a man with a scruffy black beard stood up and made his way over to Will.

"That very girl was at my farm some moments ago. She stole a horse and started to go back towards Redmont." He said, eyeing the copper pieces hungrily.

Will only gave him one copper piece, and stood up to leave.

The man grabbed his shoulder angrily and forced him back into his seat. "Where are my other two copper pieces?" he said, his breath smelling of ale.

"You're too drunk, and I know you're a liar James Kearney. She wouldn't steal a horse that had belonged to her and leave a considerable amount of gold behind." Will said.

The entire tavern got quiet. Everyone knew about the girl who came through and no one was ready to stand up for the man who had despised her from the start.

James' face got red as he tried to figure out what Will was saying, "How do you know that happened?" He asked.

"I know she was coming here to get something. I also knew that the horse she was using was not her own and was borrowing it, so I can presume she came here to get a horse. But why would she come here if she could by a horse anywhere in the fief? Because she owned the horse. As for the gold, you have been gambling for some time now and I know that neither you nor your gambling friends are rich enough to possess that much gold on the table." Will explained, finishing his coffee.

Will got up and moved to the table with the coins on it. He counted thirty five gold pieces, twenty silver, and thirty copper pieces.

"How much did she leave you for the horse?" Will demanded.

"She left twenty gold pieces." James said.

Will looked at one of the men at the table, "How much did she leave?"

"She left thirty, Ranger." He said.

Will scooped thirty gold coins off of the table and put them in his purse. "No one should have to pay for what is rightfully theirs, right?" Will asked everyone in the tavern.

They all nodded and went back to doing what they were doing. Will walked out of the tavern and got on Tug.

_"Well how'd it go?" _Tug asked.

"It went fine, now I need to find this girl." Will replied to his horse.

* * *

Lilly sighed with relief when she settled down in her bed roll. She had made it past the ranger without him noticing her. She had urged Blizzard and the work horse into a gallop and made it half of the way back to Redmont before it started to get dark. She got off the side of the road and made a camp with no fire to give her away to any bandits that might be around.

She settled into a restful sleep without dreams.

* * *

Lilly woke up quietly and grabbed the long knife she kept under her pillow. She heard the sounds of twigs snapping and boot falls. They were too loud to be a Ranger's, so they were either a bandit's or a traveler's.

She got out of the bed roll and waited for the person to show themselves through the tall bushes.


	6. Chapter 6

A blonde figure stepped into the clearing. He swore under his breath as he tripped over Lilly's bedroll. In a flash, Lilly was there, pulling the person to the ground and shoving her knee into his back.

"I give up!" The person shouted.

Lilly instantly recognized the voice. "Nial, what, in the name of the king are you doing out here in the middle of the night?"

"Lilly?" Nial asked, trying to turn his head to see his attacker.

Lilly flipped the boy onto his back and helped him up. He stared open mouthed at Lilly.

"Where'd you learn to do that?" Nial asked.

"No clue, just came up with it now. So what are you here for?" Lilly asked, sitting down on her bedroll and putting the knife back under the pillow.

"I came to find Ranger Will, but I heard shouting a little way up the road. I came to hide until it died down." Nial replied.

"Why were you going to him?" Lilly asked.

"Joseph and the entire family were murdered last night. Everyone thinks the bandit problem is getting worse; but guess who was asking about you today in the tavern." Nial said.

"The senior Ranger?" Lilly asked. "How is he by the way?"

"He has a lump on his head. Halt has made it his personal business to find you." Nial said.

"You can sleep here for the night if you want to. Then you can take the horse to see Will. It's safer to go by horseback than by foot." Lilly said.

She got up to make sure the horses were tied when she heard the sound of footsteps again. She heard a grunt and turned around to see Nial in a headlock of a bandit.

"What do we have here?" The man asked. "Two lovers on their way to Whitemarsh? I don't think they'll get there." He said, a Hibernian accent heavy in his words

Nial was struggling for air with desperation. He was clawing on the man's arms.

"Let him go." Lilly said, fighting to make her accent disappear.

"Why? To let him breath? I will when you give me all your valuables." He said, drawing a knife with a five inch blade.

"Okay, but you should know that the only valuables I have are a horse and a donkey." Lilly said.

"Then hand 'em over." The man said.

"You need to be careful with the donkey. He likes to _kick when you least expect it_." Lilly said, grabbing the reins of the two horses and hoping to god that Nial understood what she was telling him to do.

Nial looked at her and drove his heel between the man's legs. The man cried out in pain and fell to his knees, letting Nial and the knife fall to the dirt. Nial grabbed the knife and stood in front of the man, holding the knife threateningly away from his body.

"Relax, Nial, he's not going anywhere." Lilly said, walking over to him and gently taking the knife from his hands.

Nial looked at Lilly and relaxed. Lilly could see he was still tense and helped him into the bedroll. "Try to sleep. I'll wake you at dawn." Lilly whispered.

She walked over to the man and struck him in the temple with the hilt of the knife. He slumped to the ground and Lilly left him there as he was.

Lilly sat in the bushes away from her camp and started to keep watch for the rest of the night.

Will had stopped for the night in a clearing not far from Whitemarsh. He had decided that the girl, Lilly, would stop during the night and rest.

"We'll get up and go at dawn." Will said, rubbing Tug down with dry grass.

"_We'll lose her before we can do that_." Tug said.

"She'll stop for the night so we won't lose anything." Will replied.

Will got into his bedroll and started to sleep.

* * *

"Nial, wake up." Lilly said, shaking his shoulder. The sun was coming up over the horizon and Lilly wanted to get moving.

"Wha-" he said, still half asleep.

"You need to find the Ranger. You can take the horse, but you have to say you were attacked by bandits and you took the horse that was there, which just happened to be the one I was borrowing." Lilly said.

"I don't look like I was attacked by bandits." Nial pointed out.

"That's why I'm sorry. I have to do this for our own good." Lilly said, taking out the bandit's knife.

* * *

Will heard the sound of plodding hoof beats and decided to look. Not a lot of people would be out at the crack of dawn. Will peaked out at the trail and saw a blonde figure slouched over the neck of a work horse. Will didn't recognize him, but the person looked injured.

The person groaned and shifted his weight, effectively falling off the horse. The horse stopped and sniffed at the person.

Will looked around and walked out to the person. He recognized the Tavern keeper's son and shook him.

"Nial, what happened?" Will said, trying to pick up the injured boy.

"Bandits…" Nial said. "I barely made it out."

Will whistled and Tug came out of the bushes. Will tied the reins of Nial's horse to Tug's saddle. He helped Nial onto his horse and tied the boy to the saddle. Will swung onto Tug and started to ride back towards Wensley.

* * *

"Will, why such the hurry?" Halt said as Will rode into Redmont.

"Halt go get the medic. Nial's been attacked by bandits." Will said, untying the horse from Tug's saddle.

Halt saw Nial behind Will and started to call for the medic. He helped Will take down the semiconscious boy.

"Where did you find him?" Halt asked.

"He found me. He was riding to Whitemarsh." Will replied.

The medics came with a stretcher and started to put salves on the cuts. They finished and picked Nial up and brought him inside the castle.

Will and Halt watched the boy go and started to walk to the kitchen together. Halt asked for food and sat down with Will.

"What happened?" Halt asked. "And don't leave out any details."

"I went to Whitemarsh because that boy told me that is where Lilly went. I get there, she's not there, but she was. She paid some farmer thirty gold coins to get her horse back. When I left, I decided to stop for the night halfway between Whitemarsh and Redmont. I woke up and started to get ready when I heard Nial and that work horse of his." Will explained, eyeing the pork that a kitchen maid put on the table.

"Did you notice that his wounds were barely healed?" Halt asked, tapping a finger.

"Yeah. I think that he left to see his friend Lilly and found bandits instead." Will said.

"Well, that's one thing that you're wrong about. He left to find you." Halt said, sipping an ever present mug of coffee.

"Hay deed whet?" Will asked, his mouth full of the pork.

"Don't talk with your mouth full." Halt said, giving him an angry look, "He volunteered to find you when a farm family was murdered. He said he needed to prove what side of the law he belonged on."

"Oh." Will said, swallowing.

"So the question is; where is Lilly?" Halt said, staring out into space.

* * *

"Now where am I?" Lilly asked herself, looking at a map.

Lilly had avoided the main roads since the escapade with the bandit. But by doing that, she had gotten herself lost.

"I would've stuck to the main roads, Lilly. They're much more safer." Someone laughed from behind her.

Lilly recognized the voice and went to kick Blizzard into a gallop, but she saw other men in front of her.

"What do you want?" She asked, not facing the man.

"I want you to get off your horse and come with us." The man said. "Peacefully." He added.

"I don't know what game you're playing at, Gregory, but it had better stop." Lilly ordered.

"Oh, don't go saying that you're royalty and I have to listen to you. You don't even exist here." Gregory McKenel laughed. "Now get off the horse."


	7. Chapter 7

Suddenly, a black shafted arrow slammed into Gregory's stomach. He screamed and fell off the horse. Gregory's men stopped and looked around cautiously; knowing full well who those arrows belonged to.

"Put your weapons in a pile and get on the ground." A voice ordered, coming from the brush.

The men looked at each other their eyes wide. One of the men shook his head and shouted, "We're not afraid of you, archer. Come out and show yourself."

"I'm giving you one last warning. Surrender and I will not kill you, otherwise you give me no choice." The archer said again, the voice coming from the opposite side of the clearing.

The man swiftly walked over and grabbed Lilly by her hair and pulled her off the horse. She screamed and started to struggle, but the man clamped his hand over her mouth. She stopped and bit down hard on the man's flesh between the thumb and the forefinger. The man let go swearing and grabbed his knife and stabbed it into the soft part of her thigh.

"I wish you hadn't done that." The voice said quietly. "I needed her alive."

"That wound won't kill her." The man said.

"But the infection will. Your knife is rusted, probably because you don't clean it after you kill somebody with it." The archer said, seemingly stepping out of a tree.

"There's only one. Get him!" The man shouted.

In a furious scream, the ten armed Hibernians swarmed after the Ranger. The bow swung up and let fly ten arrows in the space of thirty seconds. The arrows all hit their targets, the men dropping like flies.

The man holding Lilly looked horrified at the Ranger, who had killed his countrymen.

"You have no right to kill my countrymen." The man shouted, throwing down Lilly and drawing a sword.

"I have every right. You are a foreigner who attacked villages for no reason." The Ranger said, leveling a loaded bow at the man.

With an angry yell the man charged the Ranger. The Ranger released the arrow and watched as he fell to the ground. The Ranger slid over to Lilly, who was steeling herself to pull the knife out of her leg.

"Are you all right?" The Ranger asked her.

"No. Watch out." She screamed, grabbing his ankle and pulling him to the ground.

The Ranger gasped as he saw a crossbow bolt hit the tree behind him. He looked and saw a flash of dull purple and scrabbled for his bow.

"Genovisans, get down!" The Ranger commanded, throwing Lilly behind a tree and coming up on a knee.

Lilly watched as the Ranger fought the Genovisan, arrow and bolt, the Genovisan having the disadvantage. The Ranger rolled behind a tree, missing a crossbow bolt and returning fire in seconds. His last arrow caught the Genovisan in the chest, sending him sprawling.

"Greane!" A Tuscan accented voice shouted from behind them.

The Ranger turned around and was tackled by a second Genovisan. They struggled, but the Genovisan pulled a knife and held it threateningly over the Ranger's face.

"I'll make you pay for what you did to my brother, but the Queen of Hibernia wants this fugitive and whoever was in contact with her alive." He whispered into the Ranger's ear. On that note of finality, the assassin struck the Ranger across the face with the hilt of the knife. It opened a gash that started to bleed.

Lilly moved to get up, but the Genovisan was on her in a second. She drew the knife that she had in her waist band, but the assassin slapped her in the face.

"Throw it away." He ordered.

Lilly looked around in horror. She knew that in a couple of months she would be killed at the Queen's hand, but the Genovisan could severely injure her now, preventing any chance of escape. She threw the knife across the clearing, not knowing where it ended up.

"Good. Now I'm going to give you something to drink. It'll put you to sleep for a couple of hours, so I can get you out of here." The Genovisan said. The Genovisan got up and walked over to a horse that was hidden in the bushes. He started to rummage around in the saddle bags.

Lilly sat up, desperately looking for a weapon to defend herself with. She looked at the hilt in her leg and decided to kill the Genovisan when he was in range.

She grasped the handle and pulled the bloody knife out. She put it behind her back and waited for the Genovisan to come. The assassin came back holding a vial. He squatted next to her and held out his hand for her to take it. Lilly grabbed the knife handle and leaned forward to receive the vial. She grabbed the man's wrist and pulled him into her while she shoved the knife through his rib cage.

The Genovisan looked at her with amazement and anger. Then his eyes went dark and glazed over and he pitched forward, dead.

Lilly dragged herself over to the unconscious Ranger. The wound on his forehead was bleeding profusely. She ripped the dead Genovisan's purple cloak and bandaged his head.

She helped up the Ranger and put him over the Genovisan's horse. She tied the reins to the back of Blizzard's saddle bags and started to ride towards the main road.

* * *

"Someone get the medic!" a distant person shouted.

Lilly was exhausted. She had pushed Blizzard as fast as the others could manage. The Ranger's bandage had soaked through and her leg had been throbbing. She practically fell off of her horse and into an unsuspecting guard's arms. She lost consciousness a minute later.

* * *

Will rode into Castle Araluen the next day. He entered the castle and walked straight up to King Duncan.

"You're Majesty." Will said, bowing low. "I am searching for the murderer Lilly. I have reason to believe that she has passed through here. Have you seen her?"

"As a matter of fact, Will, I have. She rode in with Crowley yesterday. She was barely conscious and Crowley was almost dead." King Duncan said.

"She's in the infirmary?" Will asked.

"Yes." King Duncan replied.

"Thank you, You're Majesty." Will replied, bowing low and practically running to the infirmary.

* * *

Crowley was a sickly pale color and Will felt his forehead. It was burning with a fever.

"Get well Crowley." Will whispered.

"Ranger." The girl whispered, from the next bed over.

"What?" Will asked looking down at the helpless murderer.

"O meu anel é a carnicería. Eu teño diso." She whispered, the words barely audible.

"What?" Will asked, but he was too late. She had already passed out.

* * *

Will stormed out of the infirmary. He felt helpless again, just like the time Halt was poisoned by the Genovisans. He pounded the wall with his fist and laid his forehead against the cool stone. He started to cry, his sobs echoing down the corridor.

Will felt a hand on his shoulder, "Come on, Will. Let's get you cleaned up."

Will turned, tears streaming from his eyes, to see Horace standing there, looking glum.

"Long time, no see." Will hiccupped, giving Horace a brief hug.

"Same to you, old friend." Horace replied.


	8. Chapter 8

"What exactly happened?" Will asked, rubbing his eyes.

"No one knows for sure. All I know is that the guards called for a medic and I caught the girl as she fell off of her horse. She was stabbed deeply in the thigh and infection had set in. She'll survive, but Crowley's another matter. The gash on his forehead is very wide and he lost a lot of blood." Horace explained.

"How is Ev-, I mean Cassandra doing?" Will asked.

"She's fine. The baby's going to come in the next month or so. I can't wait, I'll be a father, and you an uncle." Horace said, glad to change the topic.

"Have you chosen a name for the baby?" Will asked politely.

"If it's a girl, Carolynn and if it's a boy, Orion" Horace replied. "Evanlyn and Alyss picked them out."

"Those are nice names. The baby will be a famous leader one day." Will remarked.

"Ranger Will." A boy said, running into the room.

"Yes, Robert?" Horace asked the young message runner.

"The other Ranger, Crowley, has woken up. He wants to see you, but the doctors fear that he will not be awake long." Robert said quickly.

Will took one look at Horace and raced out of the room and down to the infirmary. He swerved around maids carrying stacks of sheets and other goods for the castle. He said a quick hello to the guards standing outside the throne room and kept going.

"Crowley." Will huffed.

"Will, my boy. Strong as ever I see." Crowley slurred. Will could tell he was awake, but delirious.

"I was told that you wanted to see me." Will said, now suddenly very refined.

"Ah, yes. Where is the girl I saved from the Genovisans? I hope she's alright. I don't think I got all of them." Crowley said, waving a finger in the air.

"She's right here, Crowley." Will gestured to the unconscious girl in the next bed.

"That's good." Crowley sighed, sinking further into his pillow. "Will, make sure she gets home."

"What?" Will asked.

"Home, to her father. She's been away for a very long time." Crowley sighed, he closed his eyes.

"Crowley." Will said.

"What?" The Ranger woke up with a flash. "Where am I?"

"Crowley, you're in the infirmary. Do you remember anything?" Will asked, very concerned.

"Yes. I saw a girl that looks like the murderer from Hibernia, but she was being threatened by a group of armed men. One of them went to hurt her, so i shot him with an arrow. The others attacked me and I defended myself, only I remember being pulled to the ground after I ran to her. Then there was darkness and pain, then me waking up here." Crowley explained.

"You were hurt by the very girl who saved your life?" Will asked, astounded.

"I think so." Crowley said nodding. He grimaced in pain and a nurse came over with a cool cloth.

"Come on, Will. Let's go." Horace said, putting a hand on his friend's shoulder.

* * *

"Halt. Baron Arald would like to see you." Pauline said, sticking her head through the door way into his private study.

"I know what it is about. Please give him my sincerest apologies, but I need to go to castle Araluen. King Duncan needs to see me." Halt said, throwing on his cloak.

"It must be pretty bad. You never apologize to anyone." Pauline remarked standing next to Halt.

"They found Lilly. She's been wounded and Crowley was wounded helping her." Halt said, lightly kissing his wife on the cheek. "Don't worry, I'll be back quickly." With that he walked out of the room.

"Oh, Halt." Pauline whispered. "Bring Will home for Alyss. She needs him."

* * *

Halt mounted Abelard swiftly and rode him hard towards Castle Araluen. He didn't see many Araluens, but those that he did see were wary of him. They looked up at the sound of Abelard's hoof beats, then quickly hid their faces behind cowls or looked at the dirt and picked up their pace.

He made it to Castle Araluen before nightfall. The last rays of the sinking sun caught the silver glint of his oak leaf insignia. The guards waved him in and scanned the country side for any more riders. When they saw none, they waved at the gate master, who closed and locked the gates.

* * *

"Hello, Halt. I knew you'd come sooner or later." King Duncan said.

"King Duncan. I know that you are my king and my direct superior, but I'd like to see Crowley first." Halt said.

Duncan bowed his head. "You know where he is. You can go."

Halt nodded his thanks and quit the room. He walked down the hallway to the infirmary. He saw Will sitting in a chair against the wall, half asleep.

Halt walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder. When Will didn't notice, he shook him. Will looked up and smiled lightly.

"How many hours of sleep have you had?" Halt asked.

"I don't know. I was sitting here all night watching Crowley." He mumbled.

"Go and sleep. I'm sure Crowley wouldn't mind." Halt said.

Will mumbled a protest, but got up anyway. He went through the door way and disappeared down the hallway.

Halt watched him go, but then turned his attention back to Crowley. The Ranger Commandant was sleeping peacefully, his head wrapped in bandages.

"How do you know I wouldn't mind?" Crowley asked, forcing a smile.

"I just said that to get him out of the room." Halt said walking up to his bed side.

"Oh well. How are you doing with all of this? A little much to be doing before we get our golden leafs, isn't it?" Crowley joked, his voice soft.

"Yeah. I keep regretting that day." Halt muttered. "How are you?"

"I'm fine; its just a little scratch. Lilly might have an infection." Crowley replied. "Stabbed in the leg with a rusted knife."

"If she dies, that would be big trouble for us with the Hibernians" Halt replied. "Where is she now."

"She's two beds over. They had to change beds, so they wouldn't disturb me if she needs attention." Crowley said.

Halt looked to see the sleeping form of the murderer and sighed. She was barely eighteen, and she had a sickly tinge to her cheeks.

"Ranger Halt, King Duncan has requested to see you in the throne room." A voice said from behind Halt.

Halt turned and looked at the messenger. "Who is in the throne room?" Halt asked.

"Queen Josephine of Clonmel, Ranger." The messenger replied.

"Okay, but make sure nobody is admitted into this room, until I get back." Halt ordered.

He walked out the door and back to the throne room.

* * *

"I'm sorry, but I will not start this meeting until Halt is present." Duncan said.

Halt heard a muffled reply through the doors and pushed them open. There was a band of guards and who Halt took to be Queen Josephine.

"Ah, here he is, now will you please begin?" King Duncan sighed.

"I have received word that you have my murderer in custody. I want her immediately handed over to me, so she can be dealt with appropriately." Queen Josephine ordered.

"Excuse me, your majesty." Halt intervened, "You are a guest here in this castle and in this country. I will advise you to act appropriately to our king, who at this moment is your superior."

King Duncan gave Halt an approving glance and slightly nodded to show his thanks.

"My apologies, your majesty. I am very upset about the try on my husband's life. I want this maid tried for her crimes." Josephine said.

"I will gladly give you this maid, but you shall wait until she is well enough to travel." King Duncan said.

"But, she is from Hibernia. She deserves-"

"At the moment she is on Araluen soil and will be treated until she is well enough to travel. And that is the end of it." King Duncan said.

Queen Josephine didn't say anything, but the fire in her eyes betrayed her anger and disappointment. Halt looked at her and saw something surprising; fear. She stormed out of the throne room, followed by her guards.

"That was an ordeal that I would like not to do again." King Duncan said, the moment the Queen was out of the room.

"You were smart to deny her the prisoner." Halt said. "I think there is more to this than she is letting on."


End file.
